This review of literature focuses on the use of various nonverbal channels in film and explain how nonverbal communication influences the success (critical or commercial) of films. The different nonverbal channels, or cues, explored are environment, physical characteristics, gestures, and touch. Within each of these channels, subtopics are examined including color, sound, physical attractiveness, costume design, and more. Rather than a conducting a study testing respondents on any physiological reactions to films, this is an extensive literature review supporting the claim that nonverbal cues do in fact influence the success of films, specifically, critical success. While each channel could also be described as “visual cues,” they each fall under the general discipline of nonverbal communication and thus, are referred to as exclusively nonverbal “cues” or “channels.” Influence is directly related to persuasion, and for a film to be successful, audiences must be engaged. This engagement leads moviegoers to rate the film favorably, resulting in more people spending money to view the film (commercial success) and/or writing reviews praising the film’s efforts (critical success).

Diversity is continuously growing throughout college campuses which influence interactions between students from all different backgrounds. Researchers of this study chose to investigate how individuals communicate with those of different racial backgrounds. Specifically, this study explored the communication strategies used during interracial interactions. Participants of the study attend a private faith-based institution, in the Midwestern area of the United States. This study focuses on an individual’s willingness to learn and teach, preferred level of self-disclosure, and communication accommodation as it relates to how one communicates during interracial interaction. Overall, findings revealed individuals are generally comfortable interacting with those of a different cultural background; however, different situations can play a part in how individuals communicate with one another.

The following research study focused on long distance romantic relationships and the communication used when faced with separation. Many different medias are utilized in relational maintenance and the literature review of this paper explores those options. Online communication and numerous social media sites can positively or negatively affect the relationship quality. After analyzing secondary research, a primary research study was conducted monitoring one newly formed college age couple and their communication for a four-week time period. When looking at the information and data collected, there were numerous examples to show the Social Penetration Theory in this couple’s growing relationship. The final section offers limitations and suggestions for further research of similar studies.

The purpose of this study was to discover what nonverbal facial behaviors are important in an interview setting. This was done by conducting interviews with eight current employers as well as four college age persons who have recently interviewed for a job. As a result, the data suggests that the two main facial behaviors sought by employers in the interview of the applicant were smiling and eye contact. Other nonverbal communication behaviors were analyzed as well. These findings will allow people to be better prepared and be more conscious of what they are displaying in the interview setting in the terms of nonverbal facial cues when interviewing for a future career.

Television news broadcasts have been airing since the mid-1930s, and has since then, implemented itself into viewer’s everyday lives. In the 1980s, Cable News Network, or CNN, introduced the 24-hour news cycle. Because of this, there was a sharp increase of violent news being reported. In this study, the researchers chose to study both the emotional and physical reactions to the violent news media. Specifically, the researchers explored the possibility that too much violence could affect their mental and physical health. Participants from this study hailed from a faith-based institution of higher learning in an urban area of the Midwestern United States. The study found that there is a relationship between the violence in news media and mental and physical effects of the body.

The topic of reactive body language and eye contact between strangers is necessary research because it differs from typical face to face relational interactions. Stranger interactions among genders and one’s eye contact are often avoided by most people, whether it’s due to the setting, awkward feelings, or one’s vulnerability. It seems like there is a common communicative trend found in Late Generation Y and Early Generation Z, is avoiding eye contact with strangers when outside of one’s comfort zone (Nemko, 2016). The lack of stranger interaction involving eye contact and its effect on society is considered in this study. The researchers chose to investigate how eye contact between strangers differs in today’s society. Specifically, the researchers explored the effect of eye contact in different settings and compared that with race and gender. Participants of the study hailed from a private, faith-based institution of higher education in an urban area in the Midwestern United States. The study thoroughly addressed the relationship between how one averts their eyes because there is an uncomfortable feeling. The lack of eye contact can show a lack of empathy towards the other person; they may go through their day feeling as if they don’t exist.

Online dating has become a commonplace in today’s society as more people are turning to it more than ever before. Because this type of dating has become so widely accepted, the researchers felt it was necessary to take a deeper look into self-presentation in online dating and how people choose to represent themselves. Participants of this study include single men and women, between the ages of 18-35, from a large Midwestern metro area in the United States. The purpose of this study was to gain information as to how men and women choose to represent themselves on online dating platforms. The key areas that were chosen to be further explored in the analysis include: the information participants chose to share about themselves, types of photos they used to represent themselves, expressions of desiring physical relationships and each gender’s use of deception. Ultimately, the data suggests that there were clear discrepancies between the information that men and women shared about themselves in their bios, versus what they disclosed to the researchers in questions asked.

This study reviewed literature, collected data through interviews of professors and students, analyzes the data, and provides recommendations on how to improve communication between professors and students at Concordia University, Nebraska.

Non-profit organizations in the United States are becoming more dependent on the use of social media accounts, to market to their mobile audiences, because they are free to use. With the constant advancements in technology, True Friends marketing department struggles to keep up with the lack of staff and necessary resources. The researchers chose to investigate how True Friends Organization could improve the quality of their mobile engagement through the analysis of their social media and Google analytics accounts. Specifically, the researchers implemented action research to evaluate if the increased use of Instagram expands True Friends mobile audience. The researchers evaluated how technology helps to create unique cultures amongst mobile audiences, as well as why social media as a medium is so important. Participants of this study included True Friends mobile audiences on Google Analytics, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Their mobile audience consists of participants from California, England, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin. The study meticulously focused on social media as a medium for True Friends to communicate with their mobile audience, and how each of their accounts helps to create a distinct culture.

Social media is a way that people can communicate and share parts of their lives through the internet (“Social Media”, n.d.). Being that the media tends to have an influence on the general public, it has an influence on adolescents as well. Sometimes, this influence can be quite negative (Sanders, 2015). Because of this, exploring their connection would be insightful. This study explores how a specific social media site (Instagram) may affect adolescent girls and their self-esteem. The researchers issued a self-esteem questionnaire to a group of girls on their self-esteem and compared it to their Instagram profiles. In this study, the researchers found that the participant with average self-esteem posted the most provocative photos on Instagram, while the participants with high self-esteem along with borderline-low self-esteem posted more goofy and filtered photos.